MARAWI CITY, PHILIPPINES // Islamist militants control about 20 per cent of the southern Philippines town of Marawi, a top general said on Tuesday.
That is more than twice the area the military cited last week, suggesting that an end to the bloody three-week siege is not at hand.
Amaq news agency, which belongs to ISIL, claimed the Philippines military had “completely failed” to regain the Muslim-majority city, which hundreds of fighters allied to the ultra-radical group tried to seize and seal off on May 23.
“Islamic State fighters are spread in more than two-thirds of Marawi and tighten the chokehold on the Philippine army that is incapable of maintaining control of the situation,” it said.
But military spokesman Brigadier General Restituto Padilla dismissed those claims, branding the Amaq report as “pure propaganda”.
“Should we take their word that they control two-thirds of Marawi? With 202 confirmed terrorists killed why should we even give them the chance of airing their lies?” he said.
Asked to comment on how much of the lakeside town was still occupied as the siege entered its fourth week, Lt Gen Carlito Galvez, head of military command in Western Mindanao, said it was 20 per cent.
“Out of 96 barangays [neighbourhoods], they are holding portions in Marinaut, Lulut, Mapandi and Bongolo commercial district, which only comprise 20 per cent of the whole Marawi City ... and its getting smaller everyday,” he said.
Gen Padilla had said a week ago that the fighters had been beaten back into just 10 per cent of the town.
The seizure of Marawi by fighters allied to ISIL, including some from the Middle East, has alarmed South-east Asian nations which fear the ultra-radical group - on a backfoot in Iraq and Syria - is trying to set up a stronghold on Mindanao that could threaten their region.
Heavy gunfire rang out in the downtown area of Marawi on Tuesday morning, and the military continued to target the militants with mortars and helicopter-mounted machineguns.
Almost the entire population of about 200,000 fled after the militants tried to overrun it, but the military believes that beyond the checkpoints now fencing off its main roads there are still some 500 to 600 civilians trapped or being held hostage.
Gen Padilla estimated that about 100 militants were still fighting - down from the 400 to 500 believed to have stormed the town - but even with only “remnants” holding out, progress was slow for government troops because of the urban terrain.
“They will be obliged to move slowly because of the presence of potential civilians in the area who may be used as human shields,” he said.
* Reuters
